Chinese Authorities Start Removing Apple iPad off Shelves Following Court Ruling

[btarunr]

Authorities and retailers have started taking Apple iPad off shelves in China, as an implementation of a court-order. Representatives of State agency Administrations of Industry and Commerce (AIC) have started confiscating inventories of the tablet from some retailers, while other retailers have voluntarily de-listed it, and taken it off shelves. The court-order is a result of a long drawn out battle between Chinese company ProView and Apple over the trademark "iPad".

Apple acquired the "iPad" brand name from ProView in 2006 by what the latter alleged as "dubious means", by floating a proxy shell company called "IP Application Development", without ProView having the slightest clue that it was dealing with Apple, which would go on use it for one of its biggest product lines. The only way Apple can get out of this mess is by working out a fresh agreement with ProView over the use of the iPad trademark, and possibly paying up to US $1.5 billion, which ProView seeks in damages. Apple is already having to pay a fine of $38 million to the Chinese regulators.



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[entropy13]

China is merely a setback! The Holy Apple would rise triumphant and bring down the proud infidels! The Light shall cast aside these pretenders!

Hail Apple!

 

[Frick]

china is merely a setback! The holy apple would rise triumphant and bring down the proud infidels! The light shall cast aside these pretenders!

Hail apple!

k.

 

[the54thvoid]

k.

It's what he does. Entropy is our Lord of Sarcapplism.

On topic though. If Apple did buy the name under a shell company it was to get it at vastly recued costs. Hypothetically if you knew a massive tech company wanted your IP you'd charge a hell of a lot.

I can see the Chinese point of view here. Why use a shell company if it wasn't to buy through the back door.

 

[FreedomEclipse]

If sales of the ipad are banned in china, how about if one were to import one into china??? say if someone bought one from the U.S or U.K on ebay.

 

[btarunr]

It's heartening to see the Chinese government throw its gargantuan weight behind a Chinese company. In a similar situation, I can't even imagine our (Indian) government doing something like this.

 

[Shihab]

Should have called it the "iTab"....

brb, going to register the name. Easy $$.

 

[hardcore_gamer]

 

[entropy13]

Aww, no one comments on the use of an "old" meme?

 

[Syborfical]

suck shit apple.

Even though the Chinese government is probably corrupt.

Maybe is arseholes stop banning names and ideas the world would be a better place.
I remember when you couldn't buy a Samsung galaxy Tab in Australia due to some legal crap.

 

[qubit]

lol, the Apple cult getting kicked in the teeth; too funny!

 

[Frick]

I will kill the nearest Apple fanboy now by strangulation and sodomy by chainsaw. It serves them right. And good job Jobs died, I hope Lisa dies as well. Cancer rules.

 

[specks]

I will kill the nearest Apple fanboy now by strangulation and sodomy by chainsaw. It serves them right. And good job Jobs died, I hope Lisa dies as well. Cancer rules.

Kill me

 

[STCNE]

Wonder what would happen if they banned production too. I'm guessing they don't have the power for that though.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

I know what Apple is thinking right now: WWJD...What Would Jesus Jobs Do?

Wonder what would happen if they banned production too. I'm guessing they don't have the power for that though.

China? You bet your ass they have the power to do that. If the communist party of China doesn't approve, it doesn't happen, period. The thing is, China profits big from Apple's manufacturing so they'll tolerate production, just not sales. China would rather a Chinese sourced iPad clone sell in China only for Chinese. They do the same thing with cars and most other consumer goods--that way they take external money and don't let any real value leave. It's how they can grow the way they do. It's a big problem for global corporations because, despite using cloned products, the average Chinese individual hasn't even heard of the huge brands we're all familiar with like Coca-Cola, General Motors, or Ford Motor Company that they are purchasing clones of. Hell, they probably haven't even heard of Exxon Mobile, Shell, or all the other big oil providers because as far as they know, all the oil comes from the great Communist Party. The Chinese--they got this shit down to a science.


@btarunr: I want to eat your avatar.

 

[Kaynar]

I will kill the nearest Apple fanboy now by strangulation and sodomy by chainsaw. It serves them right. And good job Jobs died, I hope Lisa dies as well. Cancer rules.

I lol'ed at that

Anyway, well at least Apple now feels how nice it is when this whole patenting stupid system can affect them. China is surely a big market to loose.

Has anyone else noticed how many things are not anymore in favour of Apple since Steve Jobs died?

 

[xaira]

thats what you get for posting the 4th most profitable quarter in history...silly apple obscenely profitable quarters are for oil companies

you have forever distorted capitalism by telling all companies that its ok to make useless products...(except the ipod)... and lie to consumers when there is a real problem...how does a phone with no service get full bars?

 

[TheMailMan78]

If this happen in the US all of you would be screaming how the US government was bought off by big corporations. If it happens in China its some kind of social justice. Haters gonna hate.

It's heartening to see the Chinese government throw its gargantuan weight behind a Chinese company. In a similar situation, I can't even imagine our (Indian) government doing something like this.

From what I understand is India has a more free market then China. If I saw India do this I know it would be for legitimate reasons. Not because the company is owned and controlled by the government. I don't hold such hope for China.

 

[punani]

why don't Apple just buy China and call it "iLand".

 

[dimensi]

and samsung must be happy

 

[NinkobEi]

It sounds like China just wants to a piece of the Apple success money. Whether Apple is really in the wrong is a different story. Greedy bastards. This is Capitalism warfare between US and China

 

[wickerman]

so...basically, the ipad is being made in China, shipped in a truck around China, into stores in China, where police pick them up and say "you can't sell these"...wonderful. I suppose Foxconn has enough power in the government that they are still allowed to make products that infringe, it's just the people who are not allowed to buy the products. And I suppose Apple still has to pay Foxconn to make products that infringe, even though people are not allowed to buy them.

China is pretty f*cked up, I have to admit... Was just a few weeks ago BMW was laughed out of court when they complained about a company cloning their X5 for sale in China, and now they are doing it to Ford with the F150 too...with a 4 cylinder diesel...which is not just trademark infringement, it's defamation of character

 

[_JP_]

why don't Apple just buy China and call it "iLand".

Might as well call it "iManufacturing", since they are not going to use it for anything else.

 

[Radical_Edward]

why don't Apple just buy China and call it "iLand".

They could open up a Steve Jobs theme park.

 

[FreedomEclipse]

It sounds like China just wants to a piece of the Apple success money.

How so??? China's not getting anything as the ipad is banned. the only money they are going to get is from people buying samsung or other taiwanese branded pads.